Christmas & Chess
by Tie-grr
Summary: Minerva reflecting on Severus. Involves Christmas time and Chess. Short one-off. Enjoy.


Christmas was a joyous time at Hogwarts but the excitement was not just about the presents to be received. For most students this was the first time they were visiting home since the start of the year. Only a handful saw their families before the holidays. So the last day of term was hectic. Corridors, common rooms and dorms buzzed with excited chatter and the bustle of trunks being packed and transported. The Christmas cheer had infected the school but the most evidence of that was the Great Hall. Snow fell from the enchanted ceiling, fluttering out of existence a few metres above the tables. The long house tables, and even the staff table, were covered with decorations and loaded with those silly muggle crackers that Albus so loved. A proud Christmas tree stood just outside the grand doors, dominating the entrance hall. Deep green branches twinkled with beautiful decorations that Filius Flitwick had charmed to dazzle and captivate when one stopped to admire.

But as with anything, there were exceptions to the rule. It was standard for students to go home at Christmas but there was always a few who spent December 25th at Hogwarts. Spoilt children whose parents had no time to bring them home, kids who wanted to stay with their friends, struggling families who just couldn't manage this year, it was all common. Thankfully rare, but upsetting nonetheless, some students remained at school because they simply weren't wanted at home.

In all of her years at Hogwarts, attending and teaching, Minerva McGonagall had seen a number of these poor students. Often keeping to themselves, it was sometimes hard to pinpoint who suffered such a fate. But there was one boy that had caught her attention. No, not boy, he was nearly a man now. He would be seventeen in just a couple of weeks. But this young man was wise beyond his years and had been since she met him as a first year.

Unwanted at home, Severus Snape was one of the few students she had seen who was here all year, every year. He was a quiet boy, she had noticed, even more so as he aged. She knew he once had a friend in the Evans girl but she hadn't seen them together for a while now. Worryingly, she had seen him with the more troublesome Slytherins. The boy was intelligent, oh so intelligent, why didn't he see the fire he was playing with by being near those kids?

In truth, intelligent wasn't a strong enough word to describe Master Snape. He was top of his Potions class for his NEWTs, near top for her Transfiguration class and rarely ever did badly in a test or any other class. Whenever he did speak up she could almost say she was delighted to debate with him in the classroom. If he had an opinion to express, with a little coaxing, he would argue until she either beat him or moved on. The boy was stubborn also, that was for sure. But his mind captivated her, he seemed like he was determined to be equal despite his age. And if he were more talkative he perhaps would be.

For not the first time the boy was on her mind as she entered the Great Hall. That fool Slughorn had informed her that Albus wished to see her and that he had last been sighted in the hall. Looked like Slughorn was either wrong (which wouldn't be surprising) or the Headmaster had moved on. A few students sat at one table, chatting away happily with their friends. But a pile of books with a flash of black hair caught her attention. There had to be fifteen books there and hiding behind it was none other than the Snape boy. He seemed lost in whatever he was looking at. She wasn't surprised to find him with his nose in a book, he rarely was without one. But as she approached, she noticed it wasn't a book he was looking at.

A chess board? But not a wizards chess board. Oh no, for he wasn't speaking. He was moving the pieces manually and they showed no sign of life. This must be a muggle set. Of course, his Mother had married a muggle. It was most likely his prized possession, judging by the wear on the dark squares and the wood peering through the white ones. He was playing by himself, practicing, turning the board around so he could alternate between black and white. She watched him switch the board around three times before finally deciding to go over. She studied the board silently then placed her hand on his shoulder and spoke softly.

"Rook to-"

"I don't need suggestions, especially when I am playing against myself." His cold tone was flawless even as he recognised the voice, placing it as one of his Professors.

The bony shoulder under her hand had stiffened, his entire posture tensed up causing her to frown and take a step back. "I was merely attempting to help Mister Snape. And I was going to offer myself as a partner? It would surely be more entertaining than playing against yourself."

He turned to look at her, just for a moment. Black eyes flickered over her before he made his decision. He stood up, allowing her to sit in his place so she didn't have to round the table he was seated at. Quite the young gentleman it seemed. Albus could wait. If Severus was going to let her in she would be a fool not to take up the opportunity. He settled himself opposite and looked to her with those impossibly dark eyes. It was hard to see anything in them.

"You can be white." He offered fairly as she tidied the pieces in return. White sat before her, black before him, and the game began.

Over the course of the next hour few games were played but the battle of intellect never ceased. The pair were rather evenly matched in their abilities, both coming out with one match each by the time Dinner was about to begin. He had yet to move his mountain of books that had been obscuring the chess board. Though neither spoke much, the muggle game needing no words at all, they seemed quite comfortable in each other's presence. Minerva couldn't speak for her companion but she felt that something more would come of this boy. He seemed eager to beat her. And she liked that..

Twenty years and barely anything had changed. Students still got excited about the holidays, many still stayed behind and the Castle was still abundant with Christmas joy and decorations. But the boy had grown into a man. Teaching at Hogwarts for fifteen years, he was a firm fixture at Hogwarts. Teaching his best subject, it seemed that there was no job for which he was better suited. Students may come away from his classes or detentions a bit shaken but Severus knew how to make potions and how to correctly teach the making of them.

Classroom debates had turned into full blown arguments in the staff room. The quiet boy she had once known was very difficult to find in the insufferable, stubborn git who quarrelled with her over almost everything and most certainly anything he could find that they disagreed upon. These clashes of opinions, often over Quidditch and their respective house teams, showed off the quick wit and dry humour both possessed. It was sort of a game between them and many other staff members enjoyed watching.

But Snape had a temper and spectating could get one into trouble with him if they weren't too careful. Not that he could actually do much to you but the man knew how to intimidate. With his rough start in life and into adulthood it wasn't too surprising.

Minerva didn't dwell on his past anymore. At first, yes, things had been difficult to deal with. But he was a young man who had been led astray and in the end proved himself a very trustworthy and brave person. He never complained although she knew he came back with injuries and all sorts at times. He still kept to himself but on rare occasions, when they played chess together, he would let something slip. He relaxed around her, she had noticed that some years ago.

When he was a seventh year they had picked up the habit of playing chess together every few days or so, usually in her office after a class. She enjoyed the challenge of trying to beat him. She had been sad when he had graduated, missing her games partner for quite some time. When he had returned to Hogwarts as Potions Master and Head of Slytherin it had only taken a few months for them to pick up old habits. He had been playing in the staff room one evening, alone once more, when she stumbled across him. Without a word she sat with him and they played, for hours that first night..

As time went on it graduated to meeting in each other's quarters in the evenings for a game, a cup of tea and the occasional chat if he was in the mood. He rarely was. Over time she came to savour these moments, enjoying the companionship he offered and the break in her usually mundane evening routine of dinner, marking, bed. He was a welcome distraction to years of same old, same old.

Oddly, she wasn't surprised to see him sitting at the chess set when she closed the door behind her. She knew she should have been but it didn't linger. His black robed back was facing her and he was lazily moving pieces forward on the board. This board was unlike his one as a teen, pristine and, although he moved the pieces manually, was a wizarding set. It seemed he had been enjoying the silence. Even if he hadn't heard her enter the room she didn't doubt he knew of her presence. He could only have survived this long if he had been very aware of his surroundings at all times. He looked positively relaxed as he sat in the straight backed chair. Why shouldn't he? He had nothing to worry about; he was in _her_ rooms after all.

An echo of twenty years ago, she watched his movements for some time before approaching him. Her warm hand rested on his shoulder, which felt oh so different under her hand. He had filled out in the years that had passed and his robes fitted him perfectly. At her touch his hand froze in midair, hovering over the black pawn that he had been about to move to safety. He waited for her to suggest a move, she had an annoying habit of doing that.

"Come to bed."

His hand dropped to the board as he felt he brush past him. He didn't need telling twice. The chair creaked as it was forced backwards and as the dark wizard moved to follow his lover he tipped over the black King in forfeit.

_Little bit of an odd one off. Hope you guys liked it though, writing it for you saved me from my last biology class :P_

_I will be getting on with the next chapters of Crash Landing and hopefully (fingers crossed) Team Bonding._

_Thanks for reading! I do love reviews.. :D_

_Al._


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